Improvement in portable fences



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES VAN DE MARK, OF OAKS CORNERS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FENCES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,989, dated March 24, 1863.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES VAN DE MARK, of Oaks Corners, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Portable Field Fence; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specication.

Figure lis a horizontal section of a portion of my improved fence arranged in a zigzag manner; Fig. 2, a side view of a portion ofthe same; Fig. 3, a side view of a portion of the improved felice arranged in a straight line; Fig. 4, a view of my improved brace for locking and sustaining the straight fence; Fig. 5, a view showing the brace interlocked with the joint of the fence.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all ofthe figures.

The panels A B C of my improved fence are made of rails of equal length, but the top and bottom rails project at one end several inches beyond the other rails, While the middle rails, whether three or more or less in number, project an equal distance beyond the top and bottom rails at the other end; but it may be added that it is never necessary for more than two of the middle rails to project beyond the top and bottom rails, although it is simpler and looks better to arrange the rails all of equal length, as first stated. On the end of each panel, ofwhich the top and bottom rails project, two upright cleats or cross-bars, a b, are nailed, on opposite sides thereof, the inner one, a, being even with the-ends of the middle rails, and the outer one, b, even with the ends of the top and bottom rails, thus leaving a space of several inches in width between them, substantially as shown in the drawings. These cleats reach the full width of the panel, and the lower end, at least, would better project a little, so as to support the fence thereby and keep the lower rails up from the ground. On the other end of each panel whereof the middle rails project, there is first nailed a cleat, f, even with the ends of the top and bottom rails, extending the whole width of the panel, like the cleats a b on the other end, and on the same side of the rail as the inner cleat, a. There is also nailed to the middle rails a second cleat, d, on the side opposite to the cleat f, and about its width nearer the end of the panel than the same. This cleat d is of just the proper length to go in between and abut at the upper and lower ends, respectively, against the inner edges of the top and bottom projecting rails of the adjoining panels. A third cleat, c, is nailed to the middle projecting rails, still nearer to the end, and on the other side from the cleat d, substantially as shown in the drawings. This last cleat, c, need not be very long, generally enough only to reach the width of the middle rails, for the zigzag fence; but for straight fence, projecting somewhat at one edge only, at both ends, substantially as seen at the left end in Fig. 3. Thus constructed, to make zigzag or worm fence, the projecting middle rails `of one panel are inserted between the projecting top and bottom rails of the adjacent panel till the edge of the cleat d abuts against the edge of the cleat b and the edge of the cleat c abuts against the edge of the cleat a, as seen in Fig. l. The panels are then straightened till these contiguous cleats abut or shoulder closely and rigidly against one another, thus producing a fence which cannot be got apart nor thrown down as long as the panels remain whole, and the panels can neither be pushed nor drawn endwise within each other, nor can one be raised without raising the other, since the cleat d shoulders both against the top and bottom rails of the adjacent panels. This locking may thus be properly termed the shoulder-lock.

The cleat c may be dispensed with in the zigzag fence 5 but, although I claim the shoulder-locking of the fence by the cleat d, in its three directions, irrespective of the cleat c, yet, I prefer and claim also the addition ofthe said cleat c, so as to shoulder in the fourth direction.

To build circlefence with these panels, the alternate panels may be placed with the lower edge up, or panels may be made with the corresponding cleats all on the same side. The shouldenabutting edges of the cleats c d may be beveled somewhat so as to fit the edges of the cleats a b exactly. This fence is put up very easily and rapidly, and as readily taken down. The cleats c d may be on the other `side of their panel. In this case, the cleat c fullls the office of cleat d, and at the lsaine time the cleat d becomes so placed as to take the place of the cleat c.

To make straight fence with these panels, their ends are lapped by each other on the other side from the lapping of the zigzag method, so that the cleat b will come in between the cleats c and f, and the rails of the two panels be brought into line. Then the rails and cleats abut so as to prevent the panels from sliding endwise by each other.

The brace G, for holding the panels to'-V gether and keeping the fence upright, is formed of three pieces arranged in a triangle, as shown, with a notch, g, at the top tol re ceive the projecting top rail and a notch in the lower edge of the cross-bar h to receive the projecting bottom rail of one panel. When this brace is inserted in this panel, the proiecting middle rails of the other panel are inserted into the brace, and it is held in a vertical position between an upright cleat, L, Fig. 4, on the brace, and the cleat b of the other panel.

The rails and cleats are best made of inchboards, but any thickness preferred may be employed, or any other material.

Any other shoulder-locking arrangement is only a mere modification of the method of locking first described, and any arrangement which locks the panels in substantially the same Way is considered the equivalent thereof.

The distance between the cleats a and b determines the degree of zigzag given to the fence and may be varied at pleasure.

The brace comes in between the projections p p of the cleat c and the cleat d, and prevents the panels from being drawn apart endwlse.

Instead of the upright cleat l, there may be notches m s, as shown in dotted lines, respectively, in the fork of thebrace and upper edge of the cross-bar h, to hold the inserted panel upright, but I prefer the vertical cleat.

What I claim as 'my invention,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Interlocking the panels by means of the cleat d, or its equivalent, on one panel, abutting against the cleat b and the top and bottom rails of the other panel, either with or Without the other abutting cleats, c a', substantially as kand for the purposes herein specified.`

2. The brace G, constructed and arranged substantially as specified, in combination with the construction and arrangement of the panels, as described.

CHARLES VAN DE MARK.

Witnesses:

J. S. BROWN, F. A. FOLLETT. 

